Ariana Grande’s approach to fitness is realistic and doable—just ask the people who help train the star! Grande, 29, focuses on a diet and exercise regimen that help keep her happy and energized, with no difficult or unsustainable restrictions. So how does she stay so fit? Here’s what Grande’s wellness philosophy looks like, and exactly how many steps she takes every day to stay in shape.
Grande loves hiking in the LA sunshine. “I jog up to the Hollywood sign every weekend,” she says. “It’s fun and what a view!” The singer makes sure to stay hydrated with delicious coconut water. “I always have a bottle next to me,” she says.
Grande avoids traditional meat and cheese dishes. “I’m very proud, my family has amazing history,” she says. “It’s great hearing stories of my mum growing up in Brooklyn, then moving to Florida, having me and growing up with this eccentric, fun family. Although, I don’t eat a lot of Italian things, because I’m vegan. I was raised on meat and cheese, so I’ve had enough for anyone’s normal life span.”
Grande enjoys a plant-based, vegan diet. “I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding,” she says. “But I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-round happier person. It is tricky dining out, but I just stick to what I know – veggies, fruit and salad – then when I get home I’ll have something else.”
Grande loves Japanese cuisine, especially the vegetable dishes. “She loves daikon, lotus, adzuki beans,” says trainer Harley Pasternak. “Almost like a macrobiotic Japanese [diet].”
Grande incorporates plenty of walking into her workout routine. “I give [Ariana] a step goal every day, whether she’ll be dancing to get that step goal or watching her favorite movies while walking down the treadmill really slowly,” Pasternak says. “Twelve-thousand steps a day and she hits it. I can’t imagine her being still.”
Grande doesn’t always do full workouts every day—sometimes it’s something simple yet effective. “I’ll say do skater lunges today for six sets of 20 repetitions and that’s it,” Pasternak says. “Sometimes it’s a combination of two different exercises back and forth and sometimes, it’s nothing. It’s a marathon, not a sprint with her.”
Grande loves strawberries and blueberries, saying she is “obsessed”. One study shows that eating strawberries and blueberries three times a week is highly beneficial for heart health. “The sooner people start the type of diet that includes a higher intake of blueberries and strawberries, the better,” says Dr. Eric Rimm, associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School.